The British Isles are filled with legends and cultural curiosities that have become famous throughout the world. The druids and the bards were figures of power during the reign of the Celts, for instance. The kilt, often considered to be the official garment of Scotland, has its own mythos surrounding it. Even historic figures like Niall of the 9 Hosts or the legendary Saint Patrick have made their marks on Scottish history. However, perhaps the greatest hero of Scottish history is the rebel Sir William Wallace who spit in the teeth of Edward “the Longshanks,” the king of England.
For anyone who’s seen the movie “Braveheart,” William Wallace’s story is a fairly easily told one. During the reign of the English King Edward I, the son of a minor Scottish Lord named William Wallace rose up to rebel against the English king’s control of the country of Scotland. Patriotic and driven, Wallace’s passions united the bickering Scottish clans and fought against English occupation. Though killed, Wallace has become a symbol of people everywhere who want the right to rule their own country.
No one’s entirely sure of the birth of William Wallace, but some claim that he was born near Elderslie. Though little is written about Wallace’s youth, his father was murdered in a skirmish with English soldiers as one of the pivotal events of that time. According to many accounts William was secretly married, and his wife was killed by English soldiers. In retaliation for all of the bonds placed on his country, and for the personal injuries he’d suffered, Wallace murdered the sheriff of Lanark. From Lanark Wallace gathered forces of Scottish men and he moved through other famous battles, including the Battle of Stirling Bridge and the Battle of Falkirk; a victory and a defeat in that order.
Wallace earned title and respect throughout his campaign, but eventually he was branded an outlaw. He maintained skirmishes and fighting against the English who encroached on Scottish terrain up until the year 1305 when he was captured by a Scottish knight loyal to Edward. A show trial commenced where Wallace was accused of treason and of being an outlaw. When accused of treason Wallace responded to the effect that he was a subject of John Balliol, the Scottish King, and not of England. After his trial Wallace was dragged by horses, hung, drawn and quartered, emasculated, beheaded and his body torn apart. It was as thorough a death as was possible, but that death also made him a martyr to the cause of Scottish freedom.
The facts are scanty, but there are enough to ascertain that William Wallace was a rebel and a fighter, and that he was a noble of Scottish birth. Though he has been entered into legend, and whether he was a traitor or a patriot, the important thing is that he was real and thus deserves to be viewed as a subject of history rather than myth.
“William Wallace,” by Anonymous at Who2
“William Wallace,” by Anonymous at New World Encyclopedia
